


New Friends Can't Replace Old Ones (But They Can Help All the Same)

by lex_evetta



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Bucky is getting his agency back, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Hopeful Ending, Hurt Bucky Barnes, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Not Steve Friendly, Pre-Relationship, References to Depression, Suicidal Thoughts, They're both hurting, if that is a trigger for you please take care of yourself, may not be traditionally fluffy because i'm weird, mentioned - Freeform, not team Cap friendly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-01 02:32:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11476767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lex_evetta/pseuds/lex_evetta
Summary: James can't shake the feeling that something is up with Tony. Only, they aren't all that close. Regardless, they're about to get a lot closer.





	New Friends Can't Replace Old Ones (But They Can Help All the Same)

Stark was knuckle deep in James’s arm when James became aware that something was grievously wrong.

His arm wasn’t in any pain—Stark definitely knew what he was doing there. Hell, James wasn’t even on the verge of freaking out over the various traumas he had sustained in prior similar situations. James didn’t know when or how it had happened, but Stark had managed to make him feel at ease during maintenance and repairs.

Things had been tense at first and rightfully so. James had been completely against Steve’s insistence that he take up residence here. It had seemed wholly disrespectful and presumptuous. Not for the first time, James found himself wanting to sock his best friend in hopes of knocking some sense into him. This new Steve was stressful in a way little Steve never had been. 

Having let the oaf drag him to the tower, James had ended up asking Howard’s son to end him on the spot. Something in him recognized it as the only way to end it. All of it. He had taken so many lives for far less. Stark was simply a victim who miraculously managed to survive the Soldier. It was fitting for him take what was rightfully his.

James hadn’t been looking for pity or understanding, but what he quickly became aware of was Stark’s horrifically large capacity for forgiveness. 

James had been kneeling at the younger Stark’s feet, much to Steve’s obvious horror and rage which only intensified as the engineer stepped forward. But, all he did was tick James’s head up with a lightly curled fist, prompting the other man to meet his gaze.

While he seemed willing to forgive James at some point further in the future, he showed no signs of pity. This was a man who had lived a lot, seen a lot, and frankly, knew better. 

It was that lack of pity and strength in this man in the face of his parent’s murderer that spurned him to take the man up on his offer.

Since living there, James had found himself studying Stark in a sense. Not in the creepy, blasé fashion Natasha did or the pointed way Clint did.

So, something was terribly wrong in the workshop that day, but not with James for once.

No, this—whatever it was—had to do with Stark.

Stark was usually bright and loud and while James’s therapist had suggested he steer clear of just that kind of thing, he’d found himself drawn to that magnetism on more than one occasion. Stark had a funny way of getting James out of his head without even trying. 

But this Stark here? He was nothing like the man James had been growing accustomed to since he’d been invited to live in the tower.

James wasn’t exactly sure why this was and was convinced that he might get closer to an answer if her could look the genius head on, but didn’t want to draw too much attention to himself.

Instead, he watched absently as Stark tested a few more wires before he gracefully closed the arm up, scooting his stool back a bit as his fingers glided along the metal of James’s arm one last time.

“Alright, Barnes. You’re all set,” Stark announced, voice coming out strong and strikingly normal given the heavy something that James had been picking up on.

“I don’t know how you do it, Stark,” James said, offering him a thankful grin as he extended and rotated his arm, testing the work he knew would be flawless.

Tony looked at him then. “Do what?”

James held up his arm. “This,” he said before vaguely gesturing at the workshop around them. “All of it. Thank you.”

Stark shrugged, eyes flitting from James’s to some space behind his head. “It’s not a big deal. Easy, even,” He dismissed before brightening some. “Hey, if you’re interested, I could show you a thing or two sometime?”

James smirked at the flirty wink that followed that, but otherwise ignored it. “Yeah, absolutely. That sounds great.”

Stark nodded easily and James found himself wondering if Tony’s eyes had always looked so lost. There was something shiny there that didn’t match the man’s current joviality. 

* * *

James was already in the elevator and making his way to his own floor when he heard a loud crash.

Immediately, images of Stark pinned under heavy equipment, unconscious, injured, flitted through his mind as he mentally scolded himself for leaving the other man in the workshop when he knew something seemed off.

He hurriedly got off at whatever floor he was on before running at full speed to the corner where he knew the stairs were located.

He skidded to a halt upon re-entering the workshop. For one surprisingly panicked moment, all James could see were the scattered tools and bits of heavy machinery piled on the previously spotless floor. 

James almost breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted Stark. That is, until his mind registered that the genius was lying crumpled in half on the floor, back shuddering in time with breathy gasps.

James went to him without a second thought, gingerly grasping Tony’s shoulder. “Tony, are you hurt?” James was trying harder than usual to keep his voice soothing, pleasant.

Tony lifted his head from his knees and James felt oddly gutted as he took in Tony’s tear-stained face which was red and blotchy in a way that James didn’t know the other man could get. Tony only shrugged in response, leading to James quickly giving him visual triage.

Sensing no physical wounds, James quickly enveloped Tony in his arms before he could talk himself out of it.

Tony initially resisted, hands shoving James away from him. James didn’t hesitate in backing off. He figured he wouldn’t be much comfort to Stark and so he tied to think of who to call for help. Unless what Tony needed was space. That was definitely something James could relate to these days.

“He’s dead,” Tony whined, eyes blinking incessantly at a table to the side. On it, from somewhere, some of Stark’s projections, this time a deep orange glow, emanated in what appeared to be broken shards. Every now and then it would flicker, seeming static-y even though the notion seemed particularly foreign where Tony Stark was concerned. His work was all smooth, seamless, and pleasantly designed. The lack of Tony’s usual fluidity in his work struck James as particularly jarring and horrifically wrong.

Before he knew it, Tony, eyes searching and even more lost than James had thought, brought himself closer to James. He seemed to size him up, gaze as calculating as ever despite the steady stream of tears and labored gasps coming from deep within him. He took a full-bodied breath, appearing steadier before wrapping his arms around James’ waist. 

James brought his arms up around Tony’s shoulders, internally wincing at the ferocity with which the genius sobbed. James wished he had called for someone who could actually help Tony. He knew for a fact that his presence was anything but helpful in this kind of situation.

Before James could ask, Tony continued with, “He’s my fucking best friend and he’s just-” An even deeper sob wracked through Tony, moving both of them with the force of it.

James maneuvered himself so he was no longer resting on his knees, legs now parted to accommodate the engineer. They both faced the fragmented display, James not understanding but refusing to pry nonetheless. 

James idly wondered if his comforting abilities would ever be up to par. He was long out of practice and, while he could plainly see how Steve was, at times, hurt by his very fucked up presence (or the lack of Bucky’s presence), the idiot seemed determined to bottle everything up so as not to worry James.

It didn’t work, but James really couldn’t say he’d tried all that hard to become the old Barnes who Steve could unload his shit onto freely. He didn’t even know if he could. Everything was so different now.

When Tony tugged himself free of James’s arms, James released him right away, ignoring the vague ache in his gut that resulted. James slid back from the other man as well for good measure, wanting desperately to help Tony get the space he needed. Tony pressed his fingertips to his nose, almost steepling them as he inhaled deeply.

After some time, Tony’s sobs nearly stopped as he seemed to school his features into something less open and raw. The efficiency with which he did this made James shudder. There was something distinctly unnatural about the sudden shift, but James decided to store that away for some other time.

“While I do thank you for checking on me, I’m good now,” Tony enunciated carefully, as if he suspected James significantly lacked in the intelligence department. And, sure, he did in comparison to Tony, but James didn’t think he’d done anything in the last several minutes to warrant that kind of derision. 

While Bucky may have commented on this, relevancy or importance be damned, James found he simply had more tact than that. And to be honest, he was far more worried than he’d thought possible.

“I beg to differ.” James scooted back some more, this time as a means of protecting himself a little, crossing his legs and leaning forward. For his part, Tony remained still aside from a twitch of his eyebrow, chewing his bottom lip like he did sometimes when he was deep in concentration.

James waited.

Several seconds later, Tony mirrored James’s position, coming so close that their knees touched. James had to move his head back to keep from colliding with Tony.

“My AI,” Tony whispered, eyes almost, but not quite darting to the table with the mess of holographic data floating about.

James felt a frown forming in between his eyes. “But I thought-”

“There was someone before Friday. Except I made goddamned Ultron and I can’t fucking fix a thing. Not a damn thing,” Tony exclaimed brokenly.

“That’s how he died? Ultron?”

“Yeah Jarvis—that’s his name—had been keeping Ultron in line for me. Never mind the fact that I never should have created him in the first place. He slaughtered Jarvis and I tried to preserve him by incorporating him into Vision, but it just isn’t the same.” Tony’s voice held a hint of horror as he almost inaudibly explained.

“I’m so sorry,” James offered, wondering why the fuck no one had ever brought up the fact that Tony’s friend had died in the fray. He’d heard plenty about Ultron and all of Tony’s mistakes, but no one had ever mentioned this before.

He wondered if there was anything else the team had conveniently neglected to tell him. 

Tony barreled on. “I- I have copies of him. Back ups, restores, but they aren’t him. His consciousness, his personality was organic regardless of him being an AI. He had- he was something entirely different from what I’d set out to do. He did shit all the time that I don’t even know how to begin to program. He learned, he talked back,” Tony chuckled darkly. “He was a fucking person and he’s fucking gone,” Tony bit out as more tears managed to escape.

“You were dealing with this when- when we-”

“During the goddamned Accords? Yeah. No. I- I really couldn’t with how fast everything was moving. I had convinced myself that I could still save him and that once everything calmed down, I would get to that and everything would be like it was. Sure my damn team would apparently hate me and abandon me and possibly make a fucking attempt on my life, but at least I still had Jarvis and Rhodey. And I almost fucking lost him too when all was said and done and no one fucking cares but him,” Tony full-on growled and James found himself relieved in a sense that Tony was beyond his lackluster, press-ready responses. Another, larger part of him wondered what the fuck was wrong with the Avengers.

“I’m so sorry, Tony. If it wasn’t for me, Steve wouldn’t have been such a stubborn asshole and that fucking in-fighting wouldn’t have even been an issue.”

Tony chuckled harshly at that. “Make no mistake about it, it would have happened regardless. Rogers and I would not have seen eye to eye whether you were involved or not. And who in their right mind wouldn’t follow fucking Captain America?”

“About half the damn team, if I’m not mistaken. That wearable flag of his don’t mean shit. He should’ve known better and, frankly I’m pretty damn pissed on your behalf,” James revealed.

“About what exactly?” Tony's nose scrunched.

“You lost your best friend and, not to make this any worse, but I haven’t heard anybody bring it up until now. I’m not trying to go there right now, but all Steve has done is lie and hurt you, from what I’ve gathered.”

“Yeah, well to everyone else Jarvis was some distant thing. Just another fancy contraption thought up by Stark. And we all know that Stark is first and foremost a goddamned fuck up.”

“I don’t get that. I mean, Friday is clearly sentient and that’s fucking impressive,” James argued.

“Clearly, huh?”

“Okay, so I haven’t exactly run any of the tests, but you really don’t have to. If anyone could figure out artificial sentience, it’s you. And just talking to her is enough to get that. I understand now that she’s pretty young, but the only thing separating her from any other person is a physical form, as far as I’m concerned.”

Tony smiled, but didn’t seem capable of holding it for long. “Well, I’m glad someone sees it.”

“Not just her either, Tony. You’re right about most things. Even my scrambled brain can see that, okay? The Accords make damn good sense,” James ground out, trying to keep his voice down.

“Yeah, especially considering I nearly killed everyone with my bright ideas. There has to be someone else keeping things in check,” Tony said, eyes wild from some unseen horror. James was all too familiar with that too and again wondered how in the hell everyone had missed this. Had missed just how much all of this affected Tony. He wasn’t even trained to deal with the shit that got piled on him and yet everyone expected him to be in peak form.

Why did no one seem to get that Tony was a civilian? Why did everyone always expect this man to be on at all times? 

At least the others had allowed James to be broken. It had pissed him off on numerous occasions, but fortunately, no one ever expected him to gloss over his shit. No one expected him to ham it up for the cameras, prepare expensive, next-level equipment for both the team and SHIELD, or, most importantly, be whatever the fuck “normal” was supposed to be. How a so-called team could do this to one of their own was beyond James and he knew with striking clarity that he wanted no part of it.

“Fuck that. We need the Accords because what people want matters. Steve was bein’ a bully, plain and simple. There was a time he would’ve socked a guy for acting how he did. You can’t force your self-righteousness on people. They have the right to disagree even if you are some walking symbol. They have the right to decide for themselves,” James said, voice nearly dropping to a whisper by the end.

Tony reached up to swipe away some of his tears. They were falling almost inaudibly now, only the erratic hitch of Tony’s breathing could be heard in the silence that followed. “That’s what I was thinking. Jarvis was usually that for me. He looked out for me, guided me probably more than I guided him. He had my back.”

“Tony, you’re not alone,” James pleaded, heart-aching at the thought of someone like Tony lacking the support afforded a deadly weaponized assassin such as himself. 

“I know. I know that. I still have Rhodey, Pepper, the bots. And now Friday and she’s picking up on everything so fast. She’s great, really, but I miss him like crazy.”

“I’m so sorry you had to go through any of that, Tony. I mean it. But, you have me too,” James divulged, reaching out to clasp Tony’s hand firmly within his own. He intended to ground the other man, give him something to hold onto even if it was just him.

Tony looked like he had something to say, but he only nodded, eyes caught on their joined hands, tethered over the space James had made between them. With some hesitation, Tony applied pressure, more firmly interlocking his fingers with James’.

“I don’t think I get it,” Tony quietly confessed, “But thanks, James.”

“Don’t thank me. Please. I’m just trying to do what’s right.” James responded. James didn’t want to get into it just yet, if not ever, but he knew he had a laundry list of fucked up shit he’d done in his life and Tony’s name was on there too many times. He would make it a priority to keep Tony’s name from cropping up again.

James raised his head when Tony started speaking again, trying to figure out when he’d lowered it to begin with. “Well, for what it’s worth, I’ll try to be there for you too. Well, as much as Team Cap will let me, I suppose.”

James shook his head emphatically. “You don’t have to do that. Besides, I don’t think they’ll be a problem.”

Tony snorted. “Oh, really? Cause I could’ve sworn your friends are under the impression that I’m the devil incarnate.”

“Fuck them. I’ve done a lot of fucked up shit in my time, but I’m finally lucid enough to figure some things out for myself. Anyone dumb enough to turn on a guy who thanklessly gives them everything isn’t anyone I want to be associated with. I have a lot of things to make up for, Tony, I know I do, but I won’t be racking up more by taking up with the likes of them.” James turned his own words over in his head, finding that he was already resolved to being better, more productive than destructive, and if that path led him away from his oldest friend, he’d just have to deal with that. People changed. He was hoping he still could too.

Tony scooted closer, never losing his grip on James’ hand. “That sounds like it might be a good start,” He mused aloud.

James nodded, unable to keep his eyes from falling on what he now knew to be Jarvis’ remains. He could feel Tony’s eyes leave his face, tracking what had caught his attention. 

Tony let out a sigh. “I don’t set out to love my inventions.”

“But you love them all the same,” James filled in, seeing Tony wordlessly agree from his periphery. “I don’t mean to be outta line, but it seems like maybe he died trying to protect you.”

Tony’s shoulder hitched slightly.

“And Tony that doesn’t have anything to do with you or your programming. You said it yourself that he had a mind of his own. His own needs. Jarvis loved you and I can’t imagine anyone who loves you wanting you to beat yourself up over this.”

“If I hadn’t created Ultron, J would still be here. And he could continue helping Friday out—he was, like, tutoring her near the end. He had a hand in writing her code. And maybe the team wouldn’t ever have to be without Iron Man because J could pilot the suits just fine.”

“I don’t think they even deserve Iron Man though. Do you think he would have thought so?”

“Probably not, but what do I know?”

James studied Tony for a beat. “You don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to. I know you don’t owe me anything, Tony. But, why did you create Ultron?”

James watched as a crease formed in Tony’s forehead, gleaming eyes seeming to dare James to take back his words. 

He didn’t.

“I was scared,” Tony breathed out, eyes settling on nothing in particular as his frown deepened. “I- I could just see everything crumbling, just endless destruction and death on all sides. I wanted to prevent that. I saw the Avengers lying dead and broken and betrayed all around me and the big question was why couldn’t I save them. Or rather, why didn’t I? I mean, I’m supposed to be a futurist, right? I try to strive for a brighter, more welcoming future, but with my mechanical know-how, was it not also on me to create something that could save everyone? Protect everyone from the fucking aliens and Nazis and other ridiculous bullshit pelting us from all sides?” Tony shuddered.

“Okay, but what do you mean you saw it? Like, you just imagined the worst case scenario or what?” James found himself asking.

“No, it was something else. It was real. I could smell it, feel it. And Steve was so fucking disappointed that I didn’t do anything to stop it.”

“I get that Tony, but was it a dream or a vision or something?”

“No. Yeah. It was both, maybe? It seemed prophetic and nightmarish, but so fucking real. I- this is gonna sound weird and accusatory as hell, but I just know it was Maximoff.”

“What’s weird about that? That’s pretty much her MO, Tony. She fucks with people’s heads—badly.”

“Maybe but Ultron is still on me. Jarvis is too.” Tony was resolute, voice hardened and steady as if this was the most ultimate truth. And maybe it was for him, but James was calling bullshit on that one.

“Not really, no. She manipulated you and, and violated you too. That’s not okay, Tony. Anything that results from her mindfuck bullshit is not on you.”

“I can’t just go around blaming people for my fuck-ups, okay?”

“I disagree with you, but I’m trying this new thing where I try not to act like an asshole, so I’m gonna leave it alone for now.”

“Thank you,” Tony said with more than a little bit of suspicion.

“You obviously don’t have to, but do you have any Jarvis stories or anything that might make you feel a little—not better, but lighter maybe?”

“Well, Jarvis started out all prim and proper. He was a true English gentleman at some point, but he quickly became corrupted by my crass ways,” Tony started.

“I sincerely doubt that,” James countered.

“He liked to call everyone proper names even though I had never specifically coded that for him. He called me sir a lot, but took to calling Rhodey Uncle Jim. Rhodey never seemed to mind, but when I asked Jarvis about it, he said it was one of the human customs that interested him the most at the time. He’d quickly caught on to the fact that Rhodey and I are as close as brothers.”

“That’s adorable.”

“Which part?”

“All of it? When did you and Rhodes meet?”

“We were roommates in college. I was only 15 my freshman year and when the Rhodes family realized how shitty my own family was, they basically adopted me. Instead of sitting around in my parents empty, impersonal place, I could spend breaks watching the Rhodeses get all up in each other’s space and actually love it.” Something in Tony’s eyes brightened and James lost himself for a second allowing his mind to toy with the notion of listening to Tony like this regularly. To someday divulging bits of his own past to the man he had so thoroughly traumatized when he was just a kid.

Tony rolled his eyes, unaware of the outrageous thoughts trying to force their way to the forefront of James’ mind. “Anyway, even now, Mrs. Rhodes likes to check up on me, but my schedule is anything but consistent so, she and Jarvis started conspiring against me. Jarvis decided that whenever I went a certain amount of time without contacting Mrs. Rhodes, he was free to disclose my eating habits, sleeping schedule, and general health with her. Next thing I knew, she was calling just to speak with Jarvis and let me tell you, Jarvis was absolutely delighted.”

James chuckled despite himself. “I gotta say, this all sounds like Team Cap never stood a chance with all the people you got batting for you.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Tony harrumphed, but James counted it as a win seeing as Tony’s eyes were just about clear of tears.

When Tony pulled his hand out of James’ grasp, James tried not to let it sting too much. 

“I think it can be hard, sometimes, to see what we have. Especially when something precious is taken from us,” James supplied, not knowing whether he was referring to Tony or himself.

“When it’s a big enough loss, it’s like you have nothing. Sure, I have all of this money and the toys and I fucking love being Iron Man usually, but I lost J and Pepper broke up with me and half the damn team went rogue and Rhodey almost died because of me too. 

“I just—I don’t want to leave a path of destruction anymore. I’m an inventor. All I ever wanted was to create cool shit,” Tony exclaimed before giving a bone-weary sigh. “I’m just so tired.”

James could only stare at him for a moment. Tony’s eyes, now completely dry, were haunted and reminded James of the times he’d wake up and, despite his best efforts, end up in front of a mirror with no recollection of who the fuck was staring back at him.

James opened his mouth to say something, anything, but all that came out was “Yeah,” as he pulled his knees up to his chest, arms clasped around himself.

“I wish things were normal, but truth be told, I don’t think I’ve ever even had normal,” Tony murmured.

“You miss them?” 

“Who?” Tony asked. James only raised his brows. “I—yeah, I do which is stupid because they’re still here.”

“Are they?” James had watched the old footage of the team fighting together. They all compensated for each other, moving as a fluid unit as they anticipated one another’s movements. He hadn’t seen any of it firsthand, but could appreciate the loss all the same.

“It doesn’t matter either way. I’m too old for this shit. They could’ve walked all over a younger Tony but I’m jaded as fuck and I know I can’t buy anyone’s affections. Not like that. Plus, these days, I have the clarity to understand that I don’t deserve everything that’s thrown at me. I deserve a lot of it, but I didn’t do a damn thing to them.”

James admired the ferocity with which Tony spoke. “You’re still young,” James found himself insisting.

“And I’m supposed to believe you’re not?” Tony snorted.

James looked down at himself. “This body shouldn’t be like this and it shouldn’t be here.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tony seemed to focus more of his attention on the man beside him.

“I’m a weapons experiment that’s gone on too long. It’s like some cruel joke. Back during the war, I begged them to just kill me and this is what I get instead. Figures,” James let out an ugly laugh.

“I used to want to die.” Tony’s voice was far too steady for such a statement.

James felt a little like something was being carved out of him. “Are you okay now?”

“Are you?” Tony threw back and James guessed he deserved that even if he couldn’t wrap his head around Tony managing to care about the likes of him.

“I’m getting there. Trying to. I’m better than I was, honest. Now, you,” James found himself demanding over the rapid pace his heart had taken up.

Tony wrapped his hand around James’s bicep. “I was young and lost. I went the self-destructive path and came out the other side, for better or worse. I’m lucky I’m only as scathed as I am. I’m here and I mostly want to be. That may not seem like much, but it is, for me.”

“Will you tell someone if that changes, Tony? It doesn’t have to be me, but please?” James pleads.

“Don’t worry your pretty head over it, James. I’m resilient and I’m good. You can trust that.”

“It’s not fair,” James grumbled, finally lowering his arms.

“Things rarely are,” Tony returned in a breathy tone.

“Ain’t that the truth.”

“Case in point, now we have a team dinner to get ready for since if I don’t show up, I’m suddenly the transgressor.”

“If I miss one, they’ll probably report me to SHIELD’s shrinks because why in the fuck wouldn’t ole Bucky Barnes wanna pal it up with his old friend Cap?”

“Beats me,” Tony said with a light chuckle. Tony picked himself up off of the floor and, after a beat, he extended his hand to help James up as well. 

“Thanks,” James almost mouthed, a little uncertain as to just what he was thanking the engineer for.

Tony nodded agreeably. “Listen, I can get us out of this dinner from hell, buy you have to promise not to bring up the Wanda thing. I don’t feel like getting into it and besides that, I can handle it myself.”

“I know you can.”

Tony squinted his eyes at him. “Sure you do.”

“I’m serious, Tony. I’ll admit, I want to give them a piece of my mind, but anyone who doesn’t know you can take care of yourself just fine is an idiot,” James said, squeezing Tony’s hand in his own.

Tony’s head canted to the side. “Are you my favorite?” He seemed to muse aloud before shaking his head. “Come on.” He tugged James along as he shut down his workshop and locked up.

To James’ surprise, Tony led them to where the team was congregating for dinner. 

Tony cleared his throat, causing everyone’s heads to turn towards them. James became hyperaware of the fact that they were still holding hands when Steve’s eyes zeroed in on where they were connected.

“James and I have plans so, we won’t be attending tonight. It’s safe to assume that should we miss these oh so fun meals, it’s because we have something better to do.”

Natasha raised an eyebrow, but otherwise remained as stoic as ever whereas Clint barely looked up from plating his food.

The others seemed to be trying to appear as if they weren’t fully tuned in to the two new arrivals.

James decided to chime in, addressing Steve specifically. “Spending time with Tony—alone—can only be good for morale, dynamics, and all that.”

“Tony, I think you should explain-” Steve started, rising to his feet.

James didn’t have time to react before Tony stepped forward, positioning himself between the super soldiers.

“And I think you should reconsider before you start something here, Rogers.” Tony’s voice was authoritative enough for Steve to visibly back down, hands raised in acceptance as he settled back in his seat. 

Tony then addressed the room at large. “Let word of any missed team building exercises reach anyone outside of present company and there will be severe repercussions.”

“Is that a threat, Stark?” Clint snarled. 

Tony smiled cruelly. “Far from it, Barton. Lest you forget, this, all of this is mine and is only available to you as a tenuous courtesy. Should you act out, I will have no choice but to act accordingly. I don’t know what you’ve heard or what you’ve all convinced yourselves of, but forget me, you are on the thinnest of ice with most of the world. I would tread far more carefully than you are, if I were you.”

James had to force himself not to smile at the man beside him. As far as he was concerned, Tony was still being far too nice.

“So, what now you’re on his side?” Barton asked James. “What did he have to do? Brainwash you with his tech or his dick?”

“Cute,” Tony snarled back.

James winced hard enough for Tony to turn towards him, obviously irate as his eyes searched James’. It wasn’t necessary given that James was far more concerned with what Clint had just said about Tony rather than himself.

“Clint, that’s enough,” Steve chimed in, face set in an angry glare. “We all know what we signed. If that’s a problem for anyone, you’re as free to go as you’ve always been. You don’t have the right to disrespect anyone in their own home.”

Tony scoffed at that, brutal smile still firmly in place.

Clint huffed angrily as he refocused on his food before simply crossing his arms petulantly. Natasha could be heard cursing in Russian under her breath.

James couldn’t help the look of disgust he levied at the so-called team. 

Steve swiped a hand through his hair, blue eyes closing in irritation for a long second before reopening. “I hope you have a nice evening,” Steve said, addressing James and then Tony. “Both of you.”

Tony nodded once on his way to elevators. James wasn’t sure what an outing with Tony entailed, but found it freeing to have apparently evaded those fucking dinners.

He doubted Tony would continue to want his company for long, but was only too happy to follow the other man’s lead as they fell into the foot traffic he’d mostly viewed from his bedroom window.

Tony had already brought him more happiness than he knew he was capable of and he’d be lying if he ever claimed he wasn’t determined to return the favor.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I have many thoughts about Civil War, but haven't really written anything about it. Except this. Regarding this story, I just went through a loss myself and because Tony is always on my mind, I started thinking about Jarvis. 
> 
> On a lighter note, is anybody listening to Lana del Rey's new album because omg. I'm writing to it, exercising to it, and spacing out while lying on the floor and accidentally alarming my friends to it. I have such a crush on her.
> 
> Let me know what you think. You can also find me on Tumblr [here](http://lex-evetta.tumblr.com) if you want to talk.


End file.
